My recent release, McCLINTOCK’S RELUCTANT BRIDE, McClintock
book three, has met with enthusiastic sales. This is what every author hopes
for. We write—usually in solitary confinement—while hoping our efforts will
produce a book that readers love. Thank you to those of you who’ve bought my
book! A double thank you to those of you who’ve left a review!
Today I wanted to reward readers by giving the backstory
for Nettie Clayton and Josh McClintock. Ladies first.
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| Nettie Sue Clayton |
Nettie Sue Clayton
was born in Newcastle, England to Grace and Council Clayton. Her older sister,
Stella Grace Clayton, became Nettie’s best friend. The two were usually together and loved school and music. While in England, the Clayton family owned
a piano that had belonged to Grace’s parents. The opportunity to move to the
U.S.A. meant they had to sell much of their belongings, including the piano.
Like the other members of her family, Nettie is musically
inclined and has a beautiful singing voice which blends perfectly with that of
her sister and brother. While they lived in England, Nettie’s younger brother,
Colin, died of diphtheria. This resulted in a gap of four years between Nettie
and Lance.
In the U.S., the Clayton family came to Lignite, Texas where
Council worked as a coal miner and crew chief. Although the family members were
disappointed in the town, Council viewed his time in Lignite and Farland Coal
Mine as a stepping stone. He and Grace kept that to themselves rather than
build false hope in their children.
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| Nettie Wants her father out of the mine |
Nettie and Stella convinced tight-fisted Mr. Farland to let
them use a building for a school. He agreed, but the sisters didn’t get a salary.
Nettie taught children up to eight, concentrating on teaching them English due
to the fact immigrants from numerous countries worked at the mine. Stella
taught students from ages nine until they left school. They hoped one day to
teach in a paying position. In addition, both wanted their father to leave
mining and work in a safer and healthier job. He’d already developed a miner’s
cough.
When Stella married Finn O’Neill (O’NEILL’S TEXAS BRIDE),
Finn arranged for the Clayton family to move to McClintock Falls, Texas. Nettie
had a huge crush on Josh, even though Finn warned her Josh was not marriage
material. She knew she had no chance with Josh, but that didn’t prevent her
from dreaming about him.
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| Josh McClintock |
Josh and his brother (including Dallas) worked on the ranch
and received a portion of the profits. Dallas used his earnings to purchase his
own ranch. Rather than doing ranch work, Rebecca assisted her mother with her
midwifery and herbal healing practice.
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| Josh works hard on the ranch |
Josh’s grandfather, Victor, and great grandfather had
settled McClintock Falls. The family was wealthy and well-respected in the
community—even Dallas was respected for his skill with horses although people sunned him because he was half Cherokee (THE
TEXAN’S IRISH BRIDE now FREE). By the 1880s, the McClintock families were quite well to
do for the time.
Josh is soft-hearted hidden behind a charming, rogue-like
demeanor. He arranged a place to live for the Claytons that was within easy walking
distance to town. In addition, he encouraged his grandfather to find a job for
Council. Grandpa McClintock arranged for Council to take over the local
barbershop, which provided a safe occupation indoors and without the physical
demands of mining.
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| How the McClintock ranch might have appeared. |
Knowing one day half of McClintock
ranch would be his, Josh worked hard to not only preserve the land, but improve the
ranch. He thought Nettie sweet and beautiful, but he knew she was the
marrying kind and he had no plans to marry for six more years. When his best
friends began to wed, however, Josh felt he no longer fit in their lives and
found the companionship of bad influences. That’s where readers find him when
the book opens.
There you have the lowdown on Nettie Clayton and Josh
McClintock from McCLINTOCK’S RELUCTANT BRIDE. In the event you haven’t read the
book yet, I hope you will soon! Here are the buy links:
Google Play Books https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Caroline_Clemmons_McClintock_s_Reluctant_Bride?id=fNsoCgAAQBAJ&hl=en
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